Yes! You survived!

Here I am today, sitting at home watching the PBS special "The Buddha," because I have time to myself with no clients on the schedule and my daughter is in school.  I have read about Buddha.  I have friends who consider themselves Buddhists.  This is what struck me today...Buddha purposely put himself in situations to try to help him understand suffering so that he then may become enlightened.  In fact, the exact point in his life they were speaking about was the year(s) he starved himself, almost to death.  He realized even through this suffering he was not getting the answers he wanted, he was not becoming enlightened.  Yet he was at the brink of starving to death and he saw that he needed to seek enlightenment elsewhere.  A Buddhist monk was interviewed about this suffering and he basically said of course Buddha didn't reach enlightenment, he was only able to focus on his starving body.
So eventually Buddha moved on.  And guess what...He survived!  He made it through that self inflicted suffering.  This is what happens to my clients.  They face suffering in many shapes and forms.  And they SURVIVE.  They freaking make it through it.  Many times they ask (something to the effect) why didn't I make more enlightened choices at the time of that suffering?  Guess what?!  Your mind could only focus on helping you survive, getting you through that time of suffering.  You made it to my office- NOW is the time for enlightenment!
Seriously when I heard the suffering my clients go through so many times I want to get up, jump up and down and yell like a cheerleader: "YES! YOU SURVIVED!!!"  Surviving suffering should just land you with this great T-Shirt saying I survived...(fill in the blank.)  It may sound odd to say but those times of suffering are what create depth and make us interesting.  (By no means am I saying go out and starve yourself so you have something to talk about at the next cocktail party)
Today take a moment to celebrate the fact you survived!   
Be well, Be happy- Tara S. Dickherber, M.Ed, CPC

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